Did you know...
Riffle beetles live in rivers and streams. Like all adult beetles, riffle beetles breathe through open spiracles which must be in contact with air to function. So how does an aquatic beetle in a fast-flowing river survive? The riffle beetles uses a dense mat of hairs (called a plastron) to trap a permanent layer of air. This air bubble around the beetle allows carbon dioxide to diffuse out, and oxygen to diffuse in.
Comments